Data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has shown that Nigerians based in the South-East region paid the highest kerosene costs in December 2022.
The NBS’ National Household Kerosene Price Watch report, which was recent, disclosed that South-Eastern Nigerians paid an average of N1,203.95 per litre of kerosene. Also, the average cost of a gallon of kerosene in the region cost N4,337.32.
The report further revealed that the average retail price per litre of kerosene paid by consumers in December 2022 was N1,104.61, which indicates an increase of 1.94% compared to N1,083.57 recorded in November 2022.
Meanwhile, on a year-on-year basis, the average retail price per litre of the commodity rose by 136.04% from N467.97 in December 2021.
Other regions: The average price per litre of kerosene in the South-South was N1,087.15, in the South-West, it was N1,177.89, Meanwhile in the North-East, the cost was N1,085.65, in the North-West, it was N1,011.49 and in the North Central, it was N1,095.17 for the period under review.
The average price per gallon of kerosene in the South-South was N3,429.82, in the South-West it was N3,751.05. Meanwhile, in the North-East, the cost was N3,378.69, in the North-West, it was N3,722.18 and in the North Central, it was N3,967.97, for the period under review.
Impact on poor Nigerians: Many poor Nigerians cannot afford to purchase cooking gas to prepare their meals. As of 2021, kerosene price per litre was less than N500, so a lot of Nigerians who could not afford cooking gas bought kerosene as an alternative cooking source.
However, with the cost increments recorded since 2021 and into 2022, some Nigerians are now turning to firewood as cooking fuel. The problem with that is, firewood is a dirty fuel and contributes to carbon emissions which pollute the environment.
According to ReliefWeb, solid fuels like firewood produce carbon, which is one of the biggest contributors to climate change. Also, firewood or charcoal contributes to deforestation which further hurts the planet.
For the record: In the second quarter of 2022, President Muhammadu Buhari updated Nigeria’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to include the elimination of kerosene lighting by 2030, which is seven years from now.
